Training

Becoming a General Physician

Principles of Advanced Training in General Medicine

4. Research characteristics of a physician in general medicine

IMSANZ Council and the SAC in General Medicine consider that basic scientific research is an important aspect of the work of a general physician. A fundamental concept is the recognition that a general physician’s scope of work is unlimited in the area of internal medicine, as there is no limit to the scope of research that may be undertaken. The consultant general physician may be engaged in a university academic unit with a major research infrastructure, provide clinically and technically advanced services in regional country areas, or work in a variety of roles in the metropolitan area either independently or alongside sub-specialists. Nevertheless, in the usual course of events, general physicians are exposed to either small numbers of rare clinical entities, unusual presentations of more common entities, unusual combinations of common entities, or common entities themselves. This will tend to make the following areas of research most likely to be relevant:

Potential research areas for general physicians

Clinical skills:

• Diagnosis
• Management
• Communication

Teaching:

Undergraduate, postgraduate and continuing education.

Administrative skills:

Clinical, public health, hospital departments of medicine, medical records, medical computing and informatics.

Other:

Medical ethics, history of medicine, clinical epidemiology and legal medicine. The Federal Council of IMSANZ is made up from one metropolitan and one non-metropolitan Councillor from each State who are elected by the State branches of IMSANZ.

Diagnosis

• Concepts of sensitivity, specificity and predictive value in the areas of history, examination and investigation.
• The selection and timing of investigations.
• The integration of clinical and investigative data.
• The development of strategies for "clinical problems" as well as "diseases".

Management

• Prioritising problems when these are complex or mixed.
• The rational selection of alternative treatment options.
• The evaluation of treatment benefits and complications.
• Compliance in the taking of medication.
• The interpretation of published data.
• The extrapolation from trials to treatments.
• Outcome goals.
• Indices of quality of care.
• Assessment of technology.
• Health-care research and efficiency.
• Clinical guidelines and protocols (including "Clinical management plans").
• Quality assurance/improvement.

Communication

• Patients, families, carers, colleagues.
• Information systems, computers in clinical medicine.
• The handling of professional disagreements.

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Awards & Scholarhips

There are currently four IMSANZ awards/scholarships open to Advanced Trainees. See Resources > Awards & Scholarships.